Subsurface pump



Oct. l, 1957 A w. F. KRUEGER suBsuRFAcE PUMP Filed oct. 1A, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. IA.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ flu.. F. 8 m., M M F m.. d. J. rIO M n, w R w 7,/ 1l \.|W!||lv y lv m1 iv um f x 1 /ZVv/ bf. w w www United States SUBSURFACE PUMP William. F. Krueger, Houston, Tex., assignor to Sperry- Sun Well Surveying Company,ihiladelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application October 1, 1954, Serial No. 459,600

3 Claims. (Cl. 166-101) .pressure within the producing horizon :to increase the oil howto the producing wells.

`In some fields water hearing Vsandswhich overliefrthe `oil .strata are the source from which water is permitted to ilow downwardly into the oil reservoir to `create 'the necessary pressure by building up a hydrostatiche'ad proportionate to the depth of the water `in the well.

In locations where the pressurein the overlying -water bearing sands is relatively low, the water from the :formation willnot pass downwardly into the underlying loil vbearing strata unless water pressure is increased by'anx- -iliary pumping apparatus.

In some iields the wells exist in a bay or lake or .deep marsh. vIn these instances water can be'taken from the surface of the earth. In Vsome locations platforms are built and surface pumping apparatus is employed. In other locations, however, the cost of drivingpilingsy and constructing suitable support structurefor surface pumping equipment is such that it is preferable'to lower pumping apparatus into a well casing on a wire line or .on a drill string and to support thepumping` apparatus inv a position within the well casing in a manner similar to the arrangement employed when subsurface waters are being pumped downwardly.

It is an object of this invention to provide amotor driven rotary pump in which the motor and rotor'elements are positioned `in a tube string within a .casing below the surface of the earth and which willserve to pump water downwardly through the tube string and casing. i

It is a further object of this invention to provide a motordriven rotary pump which can be supported within a well casing by latching means locally at the pump, .thus avoiding the necessity of having a d errick or a'well'servio ing barge lower the pump into the casing 011v a 4drill-stem.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the acompanying drawings, in which:

.Figure 1A is a showing of one form of fthe'apparatus. involved at the surface of the earth;

'Fig-ure 1B is an enlarged axial sectionzofa-.tubestring and pumping apparatus .positioned below .the surface of ,theearth;

' Eigure 1C is an axialsectonof the portioniof the tube string positioned'` below that portion. shown in Figure' 1B;

Figure 2 is an alternative form of apparatus which atent ice 2 ,808,1 1 l Patented 9ct@ f 1f 1f957 may beI empleyediplasefeffthat .shown-in figure 1B; Figure an aXiaLSection--through a horeholeshowns nurnningiapparatus such as that lShownin either .Figure 1.1.3.6r Eigure 12 .sllppord within a well casing .by latching mea-1.1.5.; and

-lllbe String-Zwhichf is supported byva ycasing 4 extending downwardly in a bore hole in ythe earth 6. Below :the surface of the earth the .casing .4 .is.provided"with'per- -fora-tionszS in the'vicinity v. ofa .waterfbearing -strata 10 in :thegearthxjpemiitting-.entry .of water from the strata 10 intoythe'space ble-tween rthe tubing`2iand `'the casingz4.

As previously noted, a'vsurface source .of vwater may Abe employed. .Insuchpazcase it will .be vevident thatv thewell .',casing vwill the: provided with .perforations abovev athe surfacerofitheaearthr: other inletmeans will `be .provided intthewelilicasing at theiupperendthereof toprovide for the admission ofwatery into the casing. Whilethe follow- `ing descriptionispresented*with-regard to a: subsurface source .off water, it will be evident that a surface source `of water may equallywell be employed.

\A. f. motor 12 `isirpositioned in'` a -.receiving 1 member 14 supportedby the-tube string-2 and'has a downwardlyex- Y ,tendingshaft 16 passingthrough packing means 1 81ii1to a chamberfZ--within the receiving member -14. `A-'plu rality ofrimpellers 22 are-aixed to the-motor lshaft 1 6 andlare adaptedf torotate in :positions-adjacentto Lstaltionary membersm24 mounted withinf-the'fchamber'20.

The receiving mem-ber 14 is provided'with arplurality of 4radially extending bores 26 connecting the chamber 20 to 4.the space between-the -tubel stringand the casing 4. The

impellers 22 and stationary members 24 are s o arranged tha-t upon rotation in response to actuation of the motor 12,` iluid is pumped inwardly through lthe radial bores 26 into the chamber 20 andl downwardly into the vlower portion 28 ofthe chamber l20. While'two sets of impellers are shown, it will be evident that in a` pump of'this type any number of successive impeller stages may v:be employed depending upon the pressure and Volume conditions involved.

A sleeve 30'is connected tov l,the tube stringjbelow the member 14. A member 32 is .threaded intothe sleeve 30 and is providedv with an axially extending bore34 through which fluid passes downwardly from the pump impellers 22 into ,the lower portion '42of the tube string. 'A check valve is provided within an enlarged portion 35 of. the axial bore 34 in the member 32 in the form'of a bll3 6, a'spring 38 urging the b all upwardly and a retaining plate dsupporting the spring. It will be evident 'that theI yball valve is provided to prevent upward flow through the tube. string when operation of the pump is arrested.

The motor 12 receives power from a suitable `source through conventional disconnect switch 44, a motor. controller 46, and a multiconductor power line.48. The power line' 48 extends througha cap 50,011 the tube tstring 2 and downwardly through the tube string tothe motorr12'.

The lower end of the sleeve 3.0 isjoined .to a ,tube slection 42. The tube section 42 or a successive section below the section 42 is provided with a .conventional packer assembly, indicated generally at.52 inl-ligure` =1C, to provide `a seal between the well casing 4 and the .tube extension portion 5.4 provided by the .packer assembly.

It will be evident that operation of the .motor 12 will cause rotation -of the impellers V22 and serve tok pump `liquid enteringfthe casingfrom the water bearing,strata 10 and entering the tube string ,through vthe radially r`extending bores 26 downwardly 'through'thecheck nalyei-n the member 32, downwardly through the tube string 42 past the packer indicated at 52 and out of the lower end 58 of the packer tube S4 into the lower portion 60 of the well casing. By thus increasing the pressure of the iluid in the lower nportion 60 of the well casing, a iow is induced downwardly into the oil bearing strata and the pressure thereof will be at least partially reestablished.

An alternative pumping structure is shown in Figure 2 V2,808,111 w l fr and may be substituted for that structure shown in Figure Y y 1B. The arrangement Shown in Figure 2 includes a motor 62 mounted within a receiving member 64 which is aflxed to a tube string section 65.v A downwardly extending motor shaft 66 supports at its lower end an impeller 68 which is designed to pump fluid upwardly and outwardly through radially extending bores 70 in a member 72 attached to the lower end of the member 64. vAV sleeve 74 Vis aflixed at its upper and lower ends to the member 72 and is spaced therefrom Vto provide an annular passage 75 between the sleeve 74 and the, tube string member 72. Radially extending tubular members 76 extend through the sleeve 74, the annular passage 75 and the wall of the member 72, andare provided to convey uid from within the well casing between the well casing andthe tube string into a chamber 77 provided within the member 72.

A member 80 provided with a longitudinally extending bore 78 is threaded into the member 72. A check valve in the form of a ball 82, a spring 84 and a retainer plate 85 is provided to prevent downward ilow through the bore 78. A chamber 86 within the member 72 immediately above the member 30 communicates with a reduced diameter bore 87 provided by the portion 88 of the member 72 which serves as the stationary portiony of a pump housing associated with the pump impeller 68.

Upon operation of the motor 62 and rotation of the ,.impeller 68, duid flows from the space between the well vthrough the annular passage 75 and back into the lower portion of the member 72 through radially extending bores 90 in the lower portion of the member 72 below `a. plug 92 which prevents communication through the Amember 72 from the lower portion thereof to the upper portion thereof. The dow entering the lower portion of the member 72 passes downwardly therethrough and into successive tube stringextension 94 past a packer assembly such as shown in Figure 1C and into the well A casing at the lower end of the tube string.

It is noted that a multistage pump such as that shown in Figure 1B may be employed in place of the single impeller type pump shown in Figure 2 and that the memjbers 14, 30 and 42 shown in Figure 1B and the members 64, 72, 74 and 94 shown in Figure 2 provide pump housings for their respective pumps.

' In the two forms of the invention shown, the pump is positioned in Figure 1B so as to pump fluid downwardly' and the pump is positionedin the arrangement fshown in Figure 2 to pump liquid upwardly. The enftire structural arrangement shown in each form, however,

results in the pumping of liquid downwardly from the 'spacing between the tube string and the well casing into the lower portion ofthe well below a packer positioned between the well casing and the tube string below the pumping apparatus.

In Figure 3 there is shown a well casing 100 passing `through a surface layer of water 102 and downwardly into the earth 104. The casing is perforated at 106 to permit the entry of water into the casing. The casing is capped as indicated at 188 and the cap is provided with a bushing through which a power cable 110 is extended downwardly into the casing and connected to a pump 118 positioned therein.

The pump 118 is positioned within the casing immediately below the jointure between the ends 112 and 114 of adjacent casing sections. These casing sections are joined by means of a casing collar 116. The upper end of the pump housing is provided with a reduced diameter extension 120. Outwardly bowed spring elements 122 have their lower ends aixed to the casing extension and their upper ends in engagement with the wall of the casing in response to their own spring urging. The lower ends of release links 124 are pivotally connected to the outer end portions of the spring members 122. The upper end portions of the release links 124 are adapted to rest against the upper end portion of the pump housing extension 120.

The lower end of the pump housing is provided with a reduced diameter tube portion 126 extending downwardly through the pump and through a packer 128. The packer 128 may be of the type shown in Figure lC which has been set by a drill stem or, preferably, may be of the type of packer which has been set by a wire line in the well known fashion. The pump is supported in the position shown within the casing by the engagement of the pump tube section 126 with the packer 128.

The pump is so positioned that the outer end portions of the spring member 122 are engaged in the recess between the adjacent ends of the casing sections 112 and 114 within the casing collar 116. It will be evident that, when the pump is in operation pumping fluid downwardly through the tube section 126 into the casing below the packer 128, lan upward thrust will be exerted upon the pump housing 118. The spring members 122 will then engage the lower end of the casing 112 and prevent upward motion of the pump housing.

The pump 118 may be similar to either of the pumps shown in Figures 1B and 2.

The arrangement shown in Figure 3 has the great advantage that the pump may be positioned in or removed from the casing lby means of a small barge which is equipped with a sand line pulling unit and a suitable type of a frame hoist. This apparatus is relatively inexpensive and is well known to the art.

When it is desired to remove the pump from the well, a release device 130 is run down into the well. The release device is provided with a reduced diameter upper portion 132 which is positioned around the cable 110 and serves to center the device. The release device has an enlarged lower portion 134 which is adapted to pass around the release links 124 pressing them inwardly against the pump housing 118 and thereby moving the spring members 122 inwardly against the pump housing 118 thus releasing the outer ends of the spring members 122 from engagement with the lower end of the casing -112. With the spring members thus unlocked, the pump may be withdrawn from the well casing whenever desired. It is of further importance that this withdrawal may be accomplished by means of a small barge and thus the need of a derrick or well servicing barge such as would be employed if the pump were supported on a drill stem is avoided.

It will be evident that various modifications may be made to the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for pumping iluid downwardly through a casing in a bore hole comprising a housing of lesser diameter than said casing suspended within said casing by flexible suspension means, means providing an inlet for ow of liquid from within said casing into said housing, means positioned below said inlet means sealing off the space between said housing and said casing, electric motor driven pumpY means mounted in said housing for pumping liquid entering said housing through said inlet means downwardly through said housing and out of said housing into the bore hole below said sealing means,

2,sos,1 1 1 and means acting between said housing and said casing releasably latching said housing in said casing preventing upward displacement of said housing in said casing during pumping.

2. Apparatus for pumping uid downwardly through a casing in a bore hole comprising, in combination, a housing of lesser diameter than said casing suspended within said casing by exible suspension means, means providing an inlet for ow of liquid from within said casing into said housing, means positioned below said inlet means sealing 01T the space between said housing and said casing, electric motor driven pump means mounted in said housing for pumping liquid entering said housing through said inlet means downwardly through said housing and out of said housing into the bore hole below said sealing means, and means acting between said housing and said casing preventing upward displacement of said housing in said casing during pumping, and means for releasing said latching means to permit withdrawal of said housing upwardly through said casing.

3. Apparatus for pumping uid downwardly through a casing in a bore hole comprising, in combination, a housing of lesser diameter than said casing suspended within said casing by flexible suspension means, means providing an inlet for ow of liquid from within said casing into said housing, means positioned below said inlet means sealing off the space between said housing and said casing, electric motor driven pump means mounted in said housing for pumping liquid entering said housing through said inlet means downwardly through said housing and out of said housing into the bore hole below said sealing means, and means including members mounted on said housing and urged outwardly into engagement with said casing releasably latching said housing in said casing preventing upward displacement of said housing in said casing during pumping, and means formed to be lowered into said casing and to engage said latching means to release said latching means and permit withdrawal of said housing upwardly through said casing.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,441,894 Mennecier May 18, 1948 2,551,434 Gray et al s May 1, 1951 2,706,526 Van Den Beemt Apr. 19, 1955 

